Manchester United supporters hold up a sign in support of striker Wayne Rooney before the team's English Premier League soccer match against Chelsea at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Monday Aug. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super)— AP

Manchester United supporters hold up a sign in support of striker Wayne Rooney before the team's English Premier League soccer match against Chelsea at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Monday Aug. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
/ AP

Way out of position for an attacking forward, throwing himself at a task one would more usually expect of a defender, Wayne Rooney hurtled after Ramires Santos do Nascimento, Chelsea's sprightly midfielder better known simply as Ramires.

Nimble Brazilian vs. meaty Englishman, this looked like a race Rooney seemed bound to lose. Not since last April had Rooney started a competitive match for Manchester United, when Alex Ferguson was still in charge of England's most successful club and before suggestions that Rooney wanted to leave developed into a full-blown, summer-long saga. A bit of rust on Rooney, especially this early in the new season, might have been expected, even forgiven.

After 75 minutes of exertion, Rooney was flushed red. Chunky at the best of times, the 27-year-old has in the past - although, to be fair, seemingly not this summer - sometimes returned from vacations looking fleshier than normal. Ramires is quick and lithe, a handful for even the swiftest of opponents. He had momentum as he sprinted onto Frank Lampard's pass and dangerously spirited the ball deep into United territory.

But just when Ramires would have wanted to cross to teammates lurking in front of United's goal, Rooney caught up with and got to him. His sliding tackle was magnificent. With an exquisitely timed thrust of his left leg, Rooney pickpocketed the ball from under Ramires, scything him down in the process. Turning defense into attack in the blink of an eye, Rooney then leapt back to his feet with his freshly won prize and, on the run, thumped the ball up field to Robin van Persie, launching a counter-attack that, as it turned out, came to naught, like all other efforts by both teams in this cagey 0-0 draw.

This textbook display of commitment, physicality and soccer intelligence from Rooney produced two immediate thoughts: United would be crazy to sell him, especially to Chelsea, a direct rival for the league title; and if Rooney is bound for London after nine rich and sometimes turbulent years at United, then he is leaving Old Trafford the right way, with his head held high, admirably professional at the end.

So much rubbish, half-truths and outright lies are reported and spoken during soccer's two annual transfer windows when player trades are allowed that it is hard to know when clubs and their managers are talking fact or fiction.

When Ferguson's replacement at United, David Moyes, says Rooney isn't for sale, does he really mean that or is the club simply holding out for more money? Moyes and Rooney have history from two years together at Everton, where Rooney caught Ferguson's eye as a precociously talented teenager and where Moyes built a reputation as an over-achieving manager capable of getting results on a limited budget. In his biography, Rooney said he angrily told Moyes in 2004 that he never wanted to play for him again. This, of course, was long before their destinies crossed again at United.

Could they make a soccer relationship function again now? Rooney's performance on Monday night suggests they could. Moyes played Rooney for the full 90 minutes. Players at other clubs have effectively gone on strike to try to force moves. Rooney presumably could also have found excuses not to play, perhaps telling Moyes he's too distracted by Chelsea's courtship of him to continue to give his all to United. But if his heart is blue, Rooney played against Chelsea like a devoted red. United fans loved his vigor and unstinting labor, filling Old Trafford with chants of "Rooney, Rooney."